The present invention relates to the field of vehicle accessories, and more particularly to a vehicle safety flasher system to be operable during a panic stop or a brake failure.
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,638,045; 5,495,226; 5,376,918; 5,210,522; 5,111,181; 4,918,424; 3,708,782; 4,990,886; 5,606,310; and 4,231,013 the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse devices for indicating the braking of a vehicle.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,886 to Stanulis discloses an automotive alarm system that provides the driver of a following vehicle with two different brake signals related to the foot pressure that the driver of the leading vehicle is applying to his brake pedal; the two brake signals being continually illuminating and flashing. However, the system according to this patent requires additional lamps to be provided to the vehicle. In addition, it appears that for the emergency flasher lights to remain continuously in activated mode, the user of the vehicle should maintain the pressure on the brake pedal; the emergency flasher lights are deactivated once the brake pedal is released. This might present a major disadvantage on the safety of the system, particularly when the user is no longer in condition to maintain such pressure on the brake pedal as a result of a shock, for example. The disclosure of the Stanulis patent does not provide any teachings as to how the emergency flasher lights might be turned in deactivated mode.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical vehicle safety flasher system.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved vehicle safety flasher system and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.
The invention provides a safety flasher system for a vehicle having a brake pedal, brake lights, an emergency flasher switch, and emergency flasher lights. The system is to be operable during a panic stop or a brake failure, and comprises: a first switch, which is electrically coupled to the brake lights and operable to activate the brake lights when the brake pedal is depressed under normal braking conditions; a second switch which is electrically coupled to the emergency flasher lights and operable to activate the emergency flasher lights when the brake pedal is depressed under severe braking conditions; a holding relay which is electrically coupled to the second switch for holding the emergency flasher lights in the activated mode; and an electrical coupling between the second switch, the holding relay and the emergency flasher switch wherein the emergency flasher lights are deactivated by moving the emergency flasher switch to an on position followed by moving the emergency flasher switch to an off position.
Preferably, the holding relay holds the emergency flasher lights continuously in activated mode, even when the brake pedal is released. The emergency flasher lights are deactivated manually by moving the emergency flasher switch to an on position, then to an off position.